Versus History Blog

BLOWING UP THE NAZIS

14/12/2018

New Book Release:

BLOWING UP THE NAZIS:
What you didn’t will blow your mind

Think you know everything there is to know about the Nazis? Think again. Do you know what a Beefsteak Nazi is? Were you aware that the Holocaust can be traced back to the murder of one German baby? Did you know that the Nazis were able to control Hollywood during the 1930's?

"Teacher Elliott Watson – one half of the excellent Versus History team – takes his passion for history well beyond the classroom in writing this enlightening guide to the hidden history of Nazi Germany."
Dr Carrie Gibson, author of the best selling history book: Empire's Crossroads

Our ever-expanding library of books and podcasts just welcomed another addition. Elliott (that’s L. Watson) has written an extraordinary book that explores elements of Nazi history that are so far from common knowledge as to render them astonishing. Throughout the chapters of Blowing up the Nazis, Elliott reveals remarkable histories that range from über violent SA leader, Ernst Röhm, being a gay rights activist, Coca Cola using the swastika in their marketing, and the ‘Hitler salute’ actually being part of the American ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ ceremony.

If you are in any way interested in discovering more than you ever knew about the Nazis, then this book is for you.

Blowing up the Nazis: What you didn’t know will blow your mind.
Available in paperback and ebook on Amazon.

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Our new publication: lord durham and the 'canada question'

12/5/2018

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Today marks the arrival of our second Versus History publication: Lord Durham and the Canada Question. Our previous publication, 33 Easy Ways to Improve Your History Essays, was written to help students navigate the difficult waters of historical writing; this time we have written an academic investigation into an integral part of British Imperial history. The rationale for writing about Lord Durham - often known as ‘Radical Jack’ - was simple: we found that Lord Durham’s contribution to British Imperial policy, particularly as it related to the Canadas, was woefully under served in the textbooks and presented a truly difficult challenge to students seeking to source readily available academic literature on the topic. Thus it was that we set our energies to uncovering the role of the enigmatic Lord Durham in the ‘Canada Question’.

Great Britain’s influence in North America was reduced in humiliating fashion by the American Revolutionary War (1775-83); the loss of the thirteen American colonies was a disaster for King George III and the metropole. However, British influence - though radically diminished - still remained in North America, albeit in a much diluted form and a more northerly location. Its reconstituted North American territory still contained New France - a product of the British victory in the Seven Years War over France and Spain. Among other territories, New France contained Lower and Upper Canada.

When, in 1837, the British-controlled territories of Lower and Upper Canada erupted in open rebellion against the metropole, it seemed to some at the time that Great Britain was to suffer an unconscionable second colonial humiliation in the space of just over half a century. Although there is debate about just how serious these twin rebellions were to London’s dominion over the Canadas and, indeed, to the wider British Empire. Equally, the comparisons drawn between the revolution south of the border and those of Lower and Upper Canada, have proved uncertain. What is certain, however, is that Lord Durham was thrust into the centre of this ‘Canadian problem’.

John George Lambton, Earl of Durham and Whig boulevardier, was cajoled by British Prime Minister, Viscount Melbourne, and even the young Queen Victoria, to take on the roles of Governor-General and High Commissioner of British North America. In this role, he was tasked with determining the causes of the twin Canadian rebellions and, crucially, proffer solutions. These solutions needed to achieve twin outcomes, both with high degrees of subtlety: placate Canadian dissatisfactions; maintain British rule.

The central discussions rest here: what, if anything, did Lord Durham achieve in his brief time as the Governor-General/High Commissioner of British North America? Canada did not follow the revolutionary lead of its geographical cousin to the south and, in fact, became the very model of responsible government within the British empire. In time, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa would adopt similar models of government. However, just to what degree Lord Durham deserves credit for these developments, is where we must begin our investigations.

In true Versus History style, Elliott will be asserting the contributions of Lord Durham were crucial to the settling of the ‘Canadian issue’, while Patrick will be challenging this argument with his own: that Durham’s involvement was minimal at best, and the ‘issue’ was a mere ‘trifle’ in the overall concerns of the British Empire.

Pre-order the ebook format now, or download it from Amazon on the 17th, which is free for the first five days of publication, and discover - either as a student or a teacher - the contributions of the enigmatic Lord Durham to the ‘Canada Question’.

Elliott L. Watson & Patrick O’Shaughnessy
Co Editors and Authors of Versus History

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OUR NEW PUBLICATION HAS ARRIVED

23/4/2018

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BOOK LAUNCH: 33 Easy Ways to Improve Your History Essays

We are very proud to announce the release of our new book – Versus History: 33 Easy Ways to Improve Your History Essays.

We have spent a great many years deconstructing and reconstructing student essays, so much so that we have developed a library of simple, tried and tested, ‘go to’ tips that enable the better writing of history. Determined in our mission to help our students, and those out there whom we don’t teach directly, perfect the essay-writing skills required at post-16 level, we have compiled many of our best tips in this publication.

Our twin hopes are that a) students will find these tips useful and incorporate them into their essay planning, and b) overworked teachers will see time-saving instructional value in using these tips in the classroom.

You can download or order print copies of Versus History: 33 Easy Ways to Improve Your History Essays from Amazon.co.uk.

Please feel free to get in touch with us at www.versushistory.com or @versushistory if you have any questions or suggestions.

Don’t forget to listen to our weekly Versus History podcasts on iTunes.

Sincerely and with Best wishes,

Elliott L. Watson & Patrick O’Shaughnessy

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free versus history t-shirt for the lucky winner!

17/4/2018

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Hi Folks! Thanks for checking out the Versus History Blog - we really appreciate it. This is a new venture for us and we are really excited about it. Thank you also for your support with the Podcast and the forthcoming book - 33 Easy Ways to Improve Your History Essays. This will be available via Kindle, so grab a copy!

In the interim period, the Editors Elliott and Patrick wanted to give away a T-Shirt (or two) to celebrate. Just enter your name, size details and email address. The winners will be drawn at random on 30 April 2018. We will not pass on your details to anyone. Nor will we contact you for any other purposes. So get your entries in!

Good luck!

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33 ways to write better history essays!

14/4/2018

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The publication date of our first book is very nearly here! The result of 12 months planning and enriched by our years of experience teaching History across the age and ability range, the book includes 33 strategies for helping students improve the quality of their written work. It has been a pleasure to write and a real milestone for us! Having thoroughly enjoyed the Podcast series thus far - with some lively debate on topics as diverse as Malcolm X, The Suffragettes and the Norman Conquest - we felt it time to release our first publication on the hot topic of essay writing and the disciplinary concepts that underpin it. Every Post-16 History course in every country utilises essays as an assessment medium. There is no getting away from it - nor would we want to. Writing essays can be highly rewarding, enriching and enjoyable. Therefore, we really hope that the content of the book will be well received. Fingers crossed!

With the 2018 exam season nearly upon us, it probably could not have come at a better time for us, our students and those who follow the Versus History project. Feel free to get in touch for more details - we might even send you a sample chapter ... maybe even a free T-Shirt! You never know your luck!

Oh, by the way, the book itself will be available via the Amazon Kindle store.

Take care!

Patrick & Elliott

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BLOWING UP THE NAZIS

New Book Release:

BLOWING UP THE NAZIS:
What you didn’t will blow your mind

Our new publication: lord durham and the 'canada question'

OUR NEW PUBLICATION HAS ARRIVED

free versus history t-shirt for the lucky winner!

Enter the draw here. good luck!

33 ways to write better history essays!

Versus history

Categories

Archives

BLOWING UP THE NAZIS

New Book Release: ​ BLOWING UP THE NAZIS: What you didn’t will blow your mind

Our new publication: lord durham and the 'canada question'

OUR NEW PUBLICATION HAS ARRIVED

free versus history t-shirt for the lucky winner!

Enter the draw here. good luck!

33 ways to write better history essays!

Versus history

Categories

Archives

New Book Release:

BLOWING UP THE NAZIS:
What you didn’t will blow your mind